What's your favourite spiritual movie?

What is your favourite movie? Does it have a an underlying spiritual message? Does it stir your soul? If you have a favourite you tube clip feel free to post it too (or send the link and I'll embed it for you :-) )
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There are many but my first thought was Vanilla Sky (2001). On the face of it Hollywood glitz with Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz but a great story line about a man horribly disfigured in a car crash who is put in cryogenic suspension for 150 years awaiting a cure. He experiences a series of "lucid dreams" which become his reality and can only return to his true life by facing his biggest fear. Lots of spiritual messages here and some great quotes like "You have to taste the sour to appreciate the sweet" and "every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around".

Thanks Clive, I just started to watch the clip and felt inspired by the words 'every passing minute is a chance to turn it round'. I stopped the clip there (as not to ruin the ending for me!) and am just off to get it now!

Awesome clip there Chris! I recommend the Peaceful Warrior movie to anyone. A beautiful message of waking up to that which truly is. I find the character 'Socrates' particularly inspiring. He is the 'enlightened' one, yet he finds enlightenment through all things and inspires Dan to find the same within himself. I love that Socrates works as a garage attendant being of ultimate service.
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Yes, Celestine is quite 'low budget' so to speak. However, from my perspective, it's really fantastic at conveying some key spiritual truths about the importance of surrender, following a destined pathway, and the whole concept of energy exchange. I especially loved how they dealt with Ascension. One moment the group is 'invisible', the next, fear brings some of them back. Synchronistically, I hear it's on Sky Movies tonight - I'd say to all it is one to watch out for.

And what do you films say about you Debra? I'm sure the God in you knows very well :-)
PS - The Matrix Trilogy is my favourite too!

Thanks for adding that one Chris. This must be one of my favourites! I posted a blog entry a couple of years ago on it too...

"There's another world.
Right here in front of your eyes."

The Celestine Prophecy is a story about John Woodson, an interesting man who embarks upon an adventure to Peru to discover some ancient prophetic scrolls. The scrolls foretell of an awakening that uncovers a brand new unveiling of human spiritual evolution. His journey offers a blueprint for unfolding spirituality and the harnessing of divine synchronicity as it is revealed to him throughout the story.

The Celestine Prophecy shows how our energies interact with one another and our surrounding field. It invites us to notice the harmonisation or domination/supression that is evoked amidst our interactions with each other. The story reveals how the art of surrender and non-attachment is fundamental to the internal peace and harmony that raises our vibration sufficiently to embrace the ascension process of human spiritual evolution.

Perhaps to make the spiritual realisations contained therein more palatable to the sceptical mind the story is depicted as fiction. It reminds me of the art of parable and story telling in various cultures like Native America, Ancient China that deliver stories in a riddle like fashion that contain keys to our own spiritual awakening. Such stories may stir an innate knowing somewhere in the depths of our memory yet are meaningless until we are ready and the cogs begin to fall into place.

I love the simplicity of The Celestine Prophecy and would recommend it to anyone who is not heavily invested in the mental battle of spiritual evolution. I would recommend it to anyone who is able to focus on that which resonates with them (rather than the age old distortion of painstakingly analysing that which does not). I recommend it to anyone who ready to feel the message in the space between the words and hear the voice of higher consciousness speak through the stillness to which the story guides us.

I can highly recommend watching La Belle Verte (The Green Beautiful). A French film made in 1996 that has a wonderful vision of a more spiritual world and some very funny insights into the way we live now.

I feel deeply inspired after watching Avatar. It contains the seeds of many profound an important spiritual teachings. Glad you loved it too Fi :-)

In nutshell... the inhabitants of Pandora (another planet, teeming with vibrancy and life) are faced with the invasion and ignorance of 'mankind', although the movie clearly shows that there are some who have not fallen under the spell of such lack of compassion.

The indigenous people of Pandora have an affinity with their planet that reminds me of the Aborigine people and other indigenous cultures. There is a telepathic knowing exchange between each other and all living sentient beings. The movie portrays unity consciousness and hence respect for all life. There is an aliveness - a vibrancy permeating from all living things in the movie that evokes the deepest of feeling within. It offers us a reminder of the beauty of our own planet, Mother Earth right here, right now. It encourages us to feel, to connect and protect the gift of life that we have been blessed with - to honour all sentient beings as part of ourselves.

Avatar is an action packed Hollywood blockbuster, but I have yet not heard anyone tell that they are not deeply touched by it. It's one of the best movies I have seen to date!

This is not a spiritual movie but it has been inspirational for me. It is based on the true story of Karen Blixen who left her native Denmark to start a new life in colonial Africa.

It is a very human story about love and loss and of great courage. Our heroine's character is never afraid to step outside the conventional bounds for a woman. She cares deeply for the local African people who have no-one else to stand up for them. She finds passionate, romantic love only to lose it and in the end she loses everything - her lover, her home and all her possessions. She carries herself through all this with a simple acceptance and dignity. This story represents for me a spiritual 'car crash'.

There is a scene towards the end of the film when Karen is saying goodbye to the loyal and faithful servant who has been with her throughout all her trials and tribulations. The filming of that parting is incredibly moving for me as it portrays poignantly the deep unspoken affection and connection between them.

The opening sequence of the film showing the old steam train chugging across the vast African plain with John Barry's soundtrack playing is enough to propel me back into the movie. In the past when I felt I simply could not go on another day, the example of Karen Blixen's courage gave me the strength to go on.

I've not seen Chariots of Fire but I'm keen to know how you view winning from a spiritual perspective. It was an important part of my old life and I now feel that being competitive is something to be avoided as it just creates discomfort and you can't have winners without there being losers.

Another film that moved me greatly was Bladerunner. When the last replicant (Rutger Hauer) discovers that he is at the end of his five year lifespan, he saves the life of the man who is trying to kill him. He recalls the experiences from his short life and says "All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain - time to die".

At the time I didn't understand why this moved me so but now I realise that all our moments will be lost in time which is why it's so important to make the most of every precious one.

i was going to say 'chariots of fire' too. Its an awesome film. I think the character who is most inspirational is the 'flying scotsman' - he doesn't seem attached to winning at all, but runs because its something he's given to do, he just loves it, and runs to 'feel God's pleasure' as he says. So he doesn't seem competitive at all really. Whereas the other lead character is determined to win almost at all costs, and you can watch the tightness and attachment this causes within him.
Its a great film. really inspiring.

I remember playing the Chariots of Fire theme tune over and over again when I was a girl - my Mam had it on 7" record. I don;t remember the movie. Another one to get! My memory isn't too wonderful - Blader Runner was one of the first videos I ever owned - I must have watched it many times - I am most curious to watch it again.

Yes I agree Ben. Abrahams in the Chariots of Fire clip clearly demonstrates that true joy and completeness comes from fully expressing the soul - not suppressing or denying it. And so what about competition? Having rowed in the Boat-race at Oxford, and having invested countless hours of my life in the pursuit of victory, I cam honestly say I've processed my absolute truth in relation to competition.

I discovered that the will to win contains a powerful truth which has been distorted. During my years of training, I was mostly single minded on winning. It frequently made me tight, frustrated and angry - it seems my whole life was geared to a 17 minute race with everything on the outcome. Yet afterwards, when I looked back, I could see that actually, it was the simple joy of harmony with man, machine and nature during the many hours of training that brought true joy. When everyone clicked magically into place, it felt like pure poetry. This was really living.

The paradox is, that without the race, perhaps we wouldn't have endeavoured so deeply, perhaps we wouldn't have pushed the envelope so far. In hindsight, I can say I enjoyed the training most of all, yet what gave it purpose was the will to grow, evolve and perfect. It is of course allowing this to happen, to be fervently and completely engaged within it, yet NOT ATTACHED to the outcome. I have come to know this a 'walking down the blade edge of life'. Fully engaged but not lost. Full involved hook and line but not sinker!

Yes Bladerunner has to be one of my all time favourites too! To me, it shows how the false self and the soul become increasingly blurred within society but that the heart is the key to figuring out the conundrum as our hero (Harrison Ford) forgoes his conditioning to fall in love with that which he has been assigned to capture. Here's the 'Tears in the Rain' clip which I also found deeply moving...

Thank you for the bare necessities, I do think that many animations have wonderful messages. Happy Feet and The Bee Movie are two that come to mind, for me they were great reminders about following one's own path at whatever cost. The inner strength and resolve of the charactors is inspirational and there were other messages too, like looking after our wonderous planet, it's ok to be different, love and friendship and of course to simply be (or Bee). The Bee Movie also showed that when following your own path it's not necessarily in other folks best interest to do the same, they have their own paths to follow. Plus there's lots of humour in it, always good to laugh :)

There's also The Lion King, Toy Story, Shrek... Reassuring that young people are watching some good stuff :)

Recently watched Kung Fu Panda and below are some words of wisdom from Master Oogway!

How wonderful that such profound messages permeate the viel through children's animated movies. I love these Fi and Chris.

I love the 'Bare Necessity' lyrics

And don't spend your time lookin' around
For something you want that can't be found
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinkin' about it
I'll tell you something true
The bare necessities of life will come to you

Thanks for reminding me of "The Fountain" - a powerful film with a deeply spiritual message. It's quite deep and a little obscure so some have said they found it difficult to follow. But stay with it - its all about the soul evolving through different incarnations and also how the outer world is shaped by our inner state of consciousness. I loved the film - here's the trailer...

This is a surprising choice. I was given the book with this title (inadvertently) and it was a true story about a hideous secret military operation carried out in America (where else?) involving the mutilation and torture of goats to develop a psychological warfare tool whereby soldiers could kill their enemies with the power of thought.

Needless to say, this idea sickened me to my core and I returned the book to the sender.

I have the pleasure of being in contact with goats at the stables where I keep my horse. They are truly spiritual creatures so maybe this is where you make the connection. There is an old male in the group with massive horns and long white beard and he looks at you with the wisdom of some ancient sage or guru. The idea of harming or exploiting such a creature makes my heart bleed.

I was browsing a German site yesterday and came across a review for 'Buddha's Lost Children'. I'd never heard of it before, yet I feel captivated by it. I'm trying to get hold of a copy... Has anyone else seen it?

In the borderlands of Thailand's Golden Triangle, a rugged region known for its drug smuggling and impoverished hill tribes, one man devotes himself to the welfare of the region's children.

A former Thai boxer, turned Buddhist monk, Phra Khru Bah Neua Chai Kositto (also known as the Tiger Monk), travels widely on horseback, fearlessly dispensing prayers, health care, education and tough love to villagers far from the protection and support of governments or non-governmental organizations.

With his Golden Horse Temple he's built an orphanage, school and clinic - a haven for the children of the region, who see him as a shaman, father figure and coach.

Stunning cinematography, intimate film making and a compelling story make this film an extraordinary experience of a hidden realm. BUDDHA'S LOST CHILDREN gives the term "grassroots Buddhism" new meaning, and in the end it's the children's journey we share. Their transformation from neglected village boys to self-confident novices.

Director Mark Verkerk gained unprecedented access to film this intimate and dramatic story over the course of a year on location in Thailand. Filmed on high definition digital video, 96 minute, Thai with English subtitles; from Holland's: EMS FILMS and Paris based Cineteve, for BOS and ARTE France amongst others.

I just want to say I agree with Angel about the Lord of the Rings! there are so many spiritual insights I feel... lots of analogies and metaphors about the Light and Dark within.... I always cry in the last film when Frodo goes off to the Blessed Isles with the Elves... through happiness you understand :D

Anyway - back to my main point... I personally found The Shift to be a great documentary/drama film. it's done as a kind of film about a documentary being made by Wayne, but it also follows the lives of those around him (as he makes the film) and the shifts they experience. There are some truly beautiful moments in it that, for me, really.... well..... caused a shift within me!

I also love some of the other films mentioned already, especially The Celestine Prophecy and The Peaceful Warrior.

I also love the film Gandhi and never fail to be moved by his tenacity and strength of peaceful will in shifting the consciousness of those whose lives he touched.

I just watched The Celestine Prophecy after reading about the recommendation on this thread. What an amazing film! It's exactly the movie I needed to watch. Yes, we're all being led to fulfill our personal destiny, we just have to open up and follow.

I've also been led to watch Baraka on several occasions in past two days, I'm going to give it a try now!

In addition to all great movies mentioned above, two of my favorites are Groundhog Day and The Big Blue. I'm sure most have watched the Groundhog Day. Interestingly, I've found out it's actually one of Eckhart Tolle's favorites. The Big Blue is about man's desire for eternity with lots of scenes showing spectacular views of nature, especially the ocean and dolphins.

Currently in British cinemas, "Eat, Pray, Love" is the remarkable true story of Elizabeth Gilbert's journey of self-discovery. After a divorce and another relationshaip that doesn't work out, she decides to travel for a year. Initially she goes to Italy, where she enjoys eating, then India to pray and finally to Bali where she falls in love. I thoroughly enjoyed the origional book and the movie. The video below has a great song called "I still believe" and some inspirational quotes from Elizabeth alongside the movie clips...

Thanks so much for sharing this Fiona. I find it heart warming. I didn't realise it was based on a true story. And I was so amazed to finally see a 'mass audience' film that truly gets what a soul mate is all about. Here's a wonderful quote from the lady who the film is about...

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life."
Elizabeth Gilbert

To me this is awesome truth. I'm so thrilled it's making its way into the mass media. However, she also says...

"A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

I would say Elizabeth, you've only really had a taste of the True Soul Mate, perhaps not met the real thing? Or else enough layers haven't been broken down yet, pain has become suffering rather than true and deep inner confrontation.

When we have the courage to do this, living with a True Soul Mate indefinitely becomes a joy. Nothing is being hidden. Everything is be owned up to and transparent. But you have to really go that extra mile to get there!

It's amazing for me to see this topic since that's exactly what I asked BC about lately...

I've rearranged and reconfigured our relationship several times - from being insecure,dependent, scared to be left and very demanding, with a very rigid idea how everything is supposed to be, moody and all --> to a very free, independent, spacy and respectful relationship. The problem was to find the balance between being close with the partner and at the same time keeping degrees of freedom, without loosing connection.

Also I was shaken and stirred by it, so I was not sure this is it...

While being absolutely ready to go away, and finally feeling free from fear how am I going to survive on my own; the question became more whether it's my path to be with my partner or am I just not ready to let go, attached physically and mentally?

I assumed that relationship is supposed to support the individual evolution process and, while leaving space, work in synergy. But a weak spot in my theory was that I thought it's supposed to be nice and pleasant. Now I see where I was 'mistaking'...

When we truly are walking in truth, it becomes a constant question as to whether two souls should continue to walk side by side. To me there's a constant assessment of what's meant to be. There's nothing fixed.

So frequently the question might arise "should I stay or should I go?" And the answer comes from the questions: "does this continue to serve me?" "Am I continuing to learn and grow?" And "when we've gone through our 'stuff', is a higher harmony of truth, love and light found?" Even if sometimes it's painful, if we can answer positively to these three questions, then I do believe the relationship is meant to continue.

Scared Sacred is a feature documentary that asks the question: Can we be Scared into the Sacred? The film takes us on a journey to the pivotal ground zeros of the world, places like Bosnia, Hiroshima, New York City and Afghanistan in search of stories of hope and meaning.

I thought this was a beautiful, simple movie, depicting one man's personal journey as he follows his path despite the remarkable challenges he faces. An inspiring true story about overcoming fear and finding one's "voice".

Another theme is that of the friendship and trust that develops between the two central characters, despite their differences.

One of the things that let me so inspired about 'The King's Speech' was the awesome resillience of simple technology. In the days before internet, televisions, satelites and modern technology a message was shared over the simplest of mediums, the radio. With imperfect technology that got the job done. There's something about that that excites me. It feels raw. It feels so real. It feels sustainable. So when things fall apart we can know that there will always be a way to do exactly what we need to do...